Theme - Art and development

Lying at the core of society, art is also a means of bringing about social change. Drama, film and music can help people get to grips with their own lives. Take, for example, youth in deprived areas. Artistic expression is giving them self-respect and belief in the future. Art is often an open platform for freedom of speech, even in societies where that freedom is restricted. This makes art an effective tool for exposing social issues.

In this section you will find news stories and articles on art and development, that were published on the Power of Culture website between 2003 and 2010. More recent articles from our network you'll find on our Facebook page.

Art and development

Despite two elections, a cholera epidemic and ongoing inflation HIFA is still going strong. With the increased interest from outside of Zimbabwe it is clear that the festival is now seen as an important platform.

Modern architecture in Africa is inseparably linked to the post-colonial era. Architect Antoni Folkers has written a book about the sometimes difficult relationship between New Architecture and traditional African architecture.

"The Monument lasts for only 70 minutes, but after it has ended some spectators are so emotional that they stay after the show to discuss it for up to three hours," says Jennifer Capraru, the director of the play that is being performed in Rwanda.